What my latest retest taught me about slow cooker chicken curry
I first made this slow cooker chicken curry for my annual Christmas party over 10 years ago, and it’s been a family (and reader!) favorite ever since. One reader even told me, “I make this most weeks for my family.”
When I retested it this fall, two changes made a HUGE difference. Only one can of coconut milk goes in for the slow cook (the chicken releases plenty of liquid on its own) with the second stirred in at the end to keep the sauce creamy, and juicy chicken thighs replace the breasts for WAY better flavor.
The verdict? Our 14-month-old little guy ate it up, turmeric all over his face and the happiest grin!
And if you’d rather use your pressure cooker, my Instant Pot Chicken Curry is super similar and comes together even faster.
OMGOONESS this is seriously delicious. I made it for my family recently & each one of the just LOVED it. This will be on the menu at our house at least every couple of months since it is so tasty and so very simple to make. Thank you for sharing 🙂
– Lynda
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Curry spices: Curry powder, turmeric, coriander, and a little sugar make the whole seasoning mix, so there’s no need for a jar of curry paste. Stick with a mild curry powder for a family-friendly curry.
- Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs are my pick for the best flavor. Chicken breasts work too, and there’s no need to pound them since the slow cooker does all the work.
- Coconut milk: Grab the canned kind, since coconut milk from a carton is way too thin. If a can looks separated when you open it, blend it smooth before it goes in.
- Sweet potatoes: Carrots or Yukon gold or red potatoes are a great equal swap if that’s what you have on hand.
- Onion and garlic: I use a sweet onion, but yellow, white, or red all work, and garlic powder can stand in for fresh garlic.
- Butter: Olive oil works just as well if you need to keep it dairy-free.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Make the seasoning.
Whisk the curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, and sugar together in a small bowl.
Pro Tip: Skip the jar of curry paste. You can technically buy yellow curry paste at the store, but I much prefer blending up my own spice mix at home.
Prep the potatoes.
Cutting the sweet potatoes to the right size makes a big difference. For softer potatoes, cut them into ½-inch cubes, and for firmer bites, go with 1-inch cubes.
Always peel them first so the skins don’t separate during cooking.
Add everything to the slow cooker.
Pour one can of coconut milk into the slow cooker and stir in the butter, garlic, and seasoning mix. Nestle the chicken thighs in so they’re fully covered by the liquid, then pile the sweet potatoes and onion on top.
Pro Tip: Save the second can for the end. The chicken releases plenty of liquid as it cooks, and holding the second can back keeps the sauce creamy instead of curdled.
Slow cook the curry.
Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken shreds easily. Shred it with two forks during the last 30 minutes, then stir in the second can of coconut milk.
The Slow Cooker I L❤️VE!
Not all slow cookers are created the same. I’ve used and loved my Crockpot 6-quart one for YEARS. It holds heat great, is easy to use, and the lock and carry lid is so handy!
Serve the curry.
Let the curry rest for about 20 minutes so the sauce thickens up. Serve it over basmati or brown rice with fresh cilantro and naan (or cauliflower rice if you’re keeping it lower-carb).
Oops! What did I do wrong?
My curry is too thin.
Let it rest for about 20 minutes after you stir in the second can, and shred the chicken really well, since both help it thicken up. If you added extra veggies like zucchini, they release water as they cook, so go a little lighter on them next time.
The coconut milk looks grainy.
Give it a good stir as you add the second can of full-fat coconut milk, which helps smooth the sauce back out. Next time, blend any separated can smooth before it goes in, and stick with one can for the slow cook.
My curry tastes a little mild.
Stir in a pinch more salt and a little more curry powder, then let it simmer another 10 minutes before tasting again. (A squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens it up too!)
FAQs
If it’s already been in the slow cooker a few hours and dinner is closing in, pour everything into a Dutch oven and bring it to a rapid simmer on the stove for about 10 minutes. It’s ready once the chicken shreds easily and the potatoes are fork-tender. (I did exactly this during my retest when we only had about 3 hours!)
I don’t recommend it, since frozen chicken takes a lot longer to thaw and cook, and everything else ends up overcooked by the time it’s done. Thaw it first (here’s how to thaw chicken fast).
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Crockpot Curry Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons curry powder mild
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk full-fat or lite, for slow cooking
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 cups sweet potatoes peeled, cut into ½ to 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium sweet onion finely diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk for finishing
For Serving
- Rice cooked
- Cilantro optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, and sugar in a small bowl.3 tablespoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Pour 1 can of coconut milk into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the butter, garlic, and seasoning mix, and stir to combine.1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker, making sure they’re fully submerged in the liquid (the chicken releases more liquid as it cooks). Add the sweet potatoes and onion on top and stir to combine.1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 4 cups sweet potatoes, 1 medium sweet onion
- Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken shreds easily and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Check on the curry during the last hour and stir if it’s starting to stick to the sides.
- Shred the chicken using two forks during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Stir in the second can of full-fat coconut milk.1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- Turn off the slow cooker and let the curry rest for at least 20 minutes to thicken. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro, if desired.Rice, Cilantro
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Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with it?
You just can’t beat a big scoop of this on a bed of rice. Try any of these recipes when you’re ready to dig in.
Stick with classic rice dishes like Basmati Rice or Jasmine Rice. Or, add some flavor with Coconut Rice or Mango Coconut Rice.
Keep it simple with Instant Pot White Rice or Instant Pot Basmati Rice.
Cauliflower Rice is the best when you’re going low-carb.
Other Easy Curry Recipes
You might also enjoy these other tasty curry recipes:
More Easy Crockpot Dinners
Want more set-it-and-forget-it dinners? These slow cooker favorites are worth a spot in your rotation.
Creamy Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala
4 hrs 15 mins
Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Chicken
6 hrs 10 mins
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
4 hrs 15 mins
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
6 hrs 10 mins
Can’t wait to eat this for dinner, throwing it in the crockpot now. I never know whether to use EVERYTHING in the coconut milk cans, or just the liquid? Thanks!
Hi Jenn! If your coconut milk is separated in the can (this usually happens when it’s a bit cold outside!), simply blend all of the can contents in a high-speed blender and then add it to the slow cooker. Hope this helps!
This recipe looks delicious! Quick question: I’m not a big fan of coconut. Does this dish have an overpowering coconut flavor or is the coconut milk really just a base? Can anything be used as a substitute for the coconut milk without compromising the dish?
Hi Asia! The coconut milk is definitely the base of this dish and may carry a bit of a coconut flavor. If you want to try experimenting with a different type of milk you can always try using cashew milk or another milk with a pretty thick consistency. If you do, let me know… I would love to hear how it turns out!
Help! I forgot to add the water and I am 4 hrs deep in cooking on high. It’s already pretty watery…. should I add water now? Also the coconut milk cans were 13.5 oz each.
Hi Jada! You should be OK! Just monitor it and make sure the chicken is not burning. If it looks like it is sticking to the sides of the slow cooker then you can always add the water! Hope this helps 🙂
Water? where does it say that on the instructions? How much water?
Hi John! I’ve updated the recipe since then and found that the water is no longer needed. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Incredibly delicious!! My 14 year old son and 11 year old son gobbled it up, I can’t stop eating it! Plenty of leftovers too 🙂 Can’t wait to cook it for hubby when he returns from his trip. Thanks for sharing <3
Yay, Bobby-Jo!! So happy you and your boys enjoyed it. Thank you so much for your sweet comment. Hope your hubby loves it, too!
I did in fact made my version of this using Indian yellow curry and added plent of vegetables – eggplant and green beans in addition to carrots and 1 green bell pepper. Here is what I did with the sauce: I chopped up a couple of wedges of onions, diced ginger and garlic, and sauteed them with 1 tspn olive oil. Then added the coconut milk, garam masala, 2 tablespoons of indian curry, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 1 tspn of crushed red pepper. Poured this over the chicken and carrots, set on high for 6 hours, then added the other veggies after 3 hours (this is to ensure they don’t become mushy and are left whole with the right tenderness). Left to cook again the rest of the 3 hours and voila! an amazing crockpot of delicious curried chicken and veggies.
Oh my goodness, Lea! I LOVE all of your additions to this curry. You definitely pumped up the nutrition with all of those incredible veggies. Thanks so much for sharing your variations and for rating the recipe!
I may have missed it but what is the serving size for this?
Hi Tamara! I am not sure exactly, but it is about 1.5 cups. Also, the nutritional info is calculated with “lite” coconut milk and no rice!
What is the serving size of the recipe? For caloric information. I have never made curry dishes before and this is amazing! So flavorful and easy! Thank you so much!
Hi Melissa! I am not sure exactly, but it is about 1.5 cups. Also, the nutritional info is calculated with “lite” coconut milk and no rice!
Awesome! Thank you so much! I’ve shared this site to so many friends already!! This and your chicken tortilla soup recipe are amazing! Now I just need to add them to my fitness pal!
That’s awesome, Melissa!! Thank you so much for sharing with your friends. The chicken tortilla soup is one of my faves, too 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting!
So I tried this last night since I had all the ingredients and was craving for some Thai curry. My fiancé loved it! He’s good cook so he’s my best food critic. Thank you for sharing! Easy to make and really delicious! I’ll definitely add this on my regular dinner recipes!
I’m so happy to hear that, Anna! It’s one of our favorites when we’re craving curry, too. Thanks so much for commenting 🙂
Could I do this not in a slow cooker? Maybe just stovetop?
Absolutely Chelsea!! The chicken may not be quite as tender (since it won’t cook for hours) but the flavor should turn out great!
Hi! I’ve been doing some slow cooker curry recipe research and so many of the comments on so many of the recipes deal with the coconut milk curdling in the crock pot. Has this been an issue you’ve encounter? Would this recipe still work if I added the coconut milk 30 minutes before serving as other sites/comments have recommended? I’m a “coconut milk in the slow cooker” novice and pretty much don’t want to screw up the main meal when making dinner for my parents. I don’t have a great track record ….
Hi Lizzie! I have not personally had an issue with the coconut milk curdling in the crock pot. Make sure you use a full-fat, canned coconut milk (I like the Thai Kitchen brand and Goya brand of coconut milks the best!) If you do decide to add it at the end, you may need to add a bit more water at the beginning to ensure the chicken does not burn. Let me know what you do… I would love to hear!